President Bola Tinubu has directed Regional Development Commissions to ensure that public funds are used for projects capable of delivering clear and measurable benefits, warning that government resources must no longer be committed to wasteful ventures.

The President issued the warning on Monday while declaring open the first North Central Stakeholders Development Summit organised by the North Central Development Commission (NCDC) in Abuja.

Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, Tinubu said development commissions must approach public spending with clearly defined objectives, reliable funding arrangements and outcomes that can be assessed.

Public Money Must Deliver Measurable Value

At the centre of the President’s message was a call for greater discipline in the management of funds allocated to regional development.

Tinubu warned that the commissions must avoid projects that consume public resources without producing meaningful value for the people.

“The era of white elephant projects is over, and there is no excuse for the Commissions to become another conduit for wasting public funds,” Tinubu said.

The President also cautioned the commissions against corruption and political interference, particularly in the selection and implementation of development projects.

He said ethnic considerations and marginalisation should not determine which projects receive attention, adding that officials found responsible for such practices would face sanctions.

Government Funding and the Search for Other Sources of Capital

While stressing accountability, Tinubu also assured the development commissions of continued government support.

He directed the Federal Government to ensure that funds accruable to the commissions are released as and when due, arguing that reliable financing would be necessary for them to undertake major development projects.

According to the President, government would continue providing the political and financial backing required by the NCDC and other Regional Development Commissions to pursue projects capable of unlocking economic and industrial potential.

At the same time, Tinubu urged the commissions to look beyond government allocations by pursuing private-sector investment, donor funding and development finance.

The approach places greater emphasis on combining public resources with other sources of capital to expand the capacity of the commissions to finance development initiatives.

What Regional Spending Should Achieve

For regional development spending to have a wider economic effect, the projects selected must connect available resources to areas capable of improving productive activity and social conditions.

Tinubu identified agriculture, agro-processing, solid minerals, industrialisation, security, education and healthcare as priority areas for the North Central region.

These sectors cover both economic production and essential public services, giving the region’s development agenda a broader focus than infrastructure spending alone.

The President said the commissions were established under his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda as part of efforts to address persistent development gaps and create more economic opportunities.

He stressed that establishing the commissions was not an end in itself, but rather a means of addressing the reasons development gaps continue to exist.

North Central’s 20-Year Development Plan

The immediate focus of the Abuja summit is the development of a proposed 20-year economic, infrastructural and social development plan for the North Central region.

Held under the theme, “The Great Leap Forward: A 20-Year Economic, Infrastructural and Social Development Plan for the North Central Region,” the summit brings stakeholders together to consider a longer-term blueprint for the region.

Tinubu urged participants to use the gathering to produce a practical development framework that can guide the North Central’s priorities over the coming years.

From Funding Decisions to Development Outcomes

The economic significance of the President’s directive will ultimately depend on how the commissions translate available funding into projects with clearly defined objectives and measurable benefits.

Government allocations, private investment, donor support and development finance could provide different avenues for funding, but the effectiveness of that financing will depend on project selection, implementation and accountability.

For the North Central, the proposed 20-year plan therefore creates a framework within which priorities such as agriculture, industrialisation, solid minerals, education and healthcare can be considered over a longer period.

The next stage will be whether the development commissions can turn those priorities into practical projects and ensure that public resources are directed towards outcomes that address the region’s identified development gaps.